Amna and Shahzad are a young couple from Karachi and proud parents of two. The word "proud" is of significance here because their second child, Idrees, is an intersex child. The couple have been estranged by their respective families due to their reluctance to give him up. "It is going to affect the future of the rest of the children in the family" they have been told.
In a society where birth of a female child is still considered derogatory, birth of an intersex child is a predicament that lasts more than a lifetime and changes the social, economic and at times, even religious standing of the affected family. Most intersex infants are abandoned either at birth or within the early years of childhood. Those that remain with their families almost always go through sex-reassignment surgery and treatment that corrects the external genitalia but leaves the child infertile. The abandoned children are either given to eunuchs, or knock the doors of trusts and brothels when their families abandon them and live through the agony of ineptness throughout their lives. The blame however does not rest on their families alone, but our society as a whole. We, as a society, refuse to acknowledge intersex among us as humans in the first place, stripping them of their basic rights of safe living, education and healthcare, and leave them without any means to make it on their own either.
Amna and Shahzad, though traumatized by the reaction of the society, have managed to keep up their efforts to give their child a stable future. The surgery is still a few years away for Idrees, but his parents have already put him through consultations along side home schooling to make him understand and own his situation and grow up to be a responsible and respectable man.
IDENTITY, LEGAL AND RELIGIOUS MATTERS
A ruling by Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2011*, was the first to recognize the intersex community as legal citizens and called upon the State to issue them National Identity Cards (CNIC), which on further efforts and campaigning also earned them the right to vote. In a country of 207 million people, 10,418 intersex may not even qualify as a minority but a recent surge in efforts to increase acceptance among society and create outlets for their representation has not only made the State include them in 6th National Census as "third gender", and has also opened up a few employment opportunities inspiring the community to educate itself and contribute equally in the social and economic tapestry*. Since this is only the beginning, the results of the efforts do not appear remarkable yet.
As per latest census, there are 1497* transgender in Karachi which appears to be an underestimated no. However, the President of All Pakistan Shemale Association Almas Boby clarified in an interview that this number is close to being accurate because no one in her organization complained about being missed by the census team*. Some have expressed their views about the number being below expectation saying that most transgender do not come out as intersex, and mark themselves otherwise in the census data.
HOUSING, EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
A significant percentage i.e. 87.83% choose to live with friends, in a communal setting held together by their "gurus". This is their version of family that they were adopted into after being disowned by their biological parents or the brothels they used to live in. Most of them share not just space but their expenses as well due to soaring unemployment. They all pool in their incomes under supervision of their gurus so that they all have the means to survive. A meager 8.1% earn between 8000 – 20000 per month. These lucky few are not exactly very fortunate as their income is a reflection of their popularity at their night time job. A significant 45.95% earns between 3000 and 8000 and 37.8% earns less than 3000 per month. A vast majority works odd jobs at either hourly wages or contractual jobs that last only a few hours like sorting and packing products in cottage setups during the day. This is a recent development and there are very few opportunities available as yet but the trend is gaining momentum gradually.
"Things have changed a bit during last ten years. At least we have a few options beside dancing and prostitution. Had the things remained same, you would have to come our Dera to talk to us instead of this Karkhaana" said Naghma, a sorter at a small bead factory near Gizri
However, prostitution still remains the main profession of their community. None of the participants of the survey have ever had a permanent job, though they say that they have heard recent news about rare blue collar job openings for transgender and their success stories in some government institute. NCA Rawalpindi is the first institution to offer low level permanent jobs to transgenders on quota basis*.
The lack of education reflects in the employment rate as well. Though some intersex are of the opinion that now they have a few opportunities which they must make the most of.
"If I have managed to find a day job, I must do everything in my power to sustain it. If I don't do my best and loose it then I can not complain about having to earn through prostitution", said Naghma, who works at a embroidery bead sorting factory near Gizri.
ASSAULT AND HARASSMENT
For decades, the Intersex persons have been mocked for their sexual orientation and their appearance without any consideration that they did not choose to be born with this condition. Harassment apart, assault too have been very common and deemed an occupational hazard since they have earned their living through singing, dancing and prostitution for decades. In 2016, two trans-women were raped in their own house and when the community protested their rape as well as the response of the local police, the community was told that they should be used to it by then.
Since the recognition of their community by the State in 2009, such cases are given a little bit of coverage through media and get protection from police and state as well. However, there are few who use these options of fair representation as means to earn popularity reducing the effectiveness of their community's protests even in serious matters.
MEDIA REPRESENTATION AND CONTROVERSIES ABOUT AND WITHIN THE INTERSEX COMMUNITY
The intersex community in Pakistan has exercised a certain set of customs to preserve itself and persevere. Media has created awareness about their problems and their rights, and has opened up low level employment options and a few other facilities by presenting a humane image of the community. However, the western influence through media has created misconceptions about their condition and rights by confusing it with the transgender community, thus making them a target for religious and cultural criticism.
The community comprises of many sections mainly led by their Gurus. Though most Gurus as well as their followers adhere to their age old customs, some have misused the means of community uplift and representation to their advantage. Bindiya Rana, an intersex woman has publicly called out people from her own community for misrepresenting their rights and has expressed her disapproval for those who claim to "represent their community" but do the opposite and confuse air more misconceptions about Intersex and transgender communities.
Those who expressed positive views for the recent efforts for the uplift of the intersex community, mentioned that had the efforts gone wasted, we would have met more sex workers than cottage mill worker in our survey. The community still faces a lot of harassment and bias when it comes to education and employment but the situations has begun to improve very slowly. Pakistan is one of the first few countries, specially Muslim countries to recognize Intersex persons as equal citizens and some clerics have also supported the intersex(not all the transgender) by creating awareness about their religious rights or inheritance and marriage, etc.
All tales have two sides; some transgender are vulnerable and are in dire need of protection and nourishment, whereas, there are impostors as well, who even with their resources and exposure do very little or nothing for their community and keep the attention to themselves. The community, however has found more exposure through legal support and media, and is beginning to carve an identity for themselves.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1.*https://www.dawn.com/news/969191
2. https://tribune.com.pk/story/156256/sc-directs-nadra-to-include-eunuchs-in-gender-column/
3. https://tribune.com.pk/story/442151/transgenders-have-equal-rights-in-pakistan-supreme-court/
4. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/27/pakistani-clerics-declare-transgender-marriages-legal-in-islam/
5. https://www.dawn.com/news/1354776
6. https://tribune.com.pk/story/1490963/census-results-just-10000-transgender-people-0-005-pakistans-population/
7. https://tribune.com.pk/story/987153/first-step-to-mainstream-transgender-people-nca-hires-them/
8. https://www.rferl.org/a/pakistan_beleagured_transgender_community_given_new_hope/24396423.html
9. https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/168156-From-hijras-to-transgender-persons
10. https://www.dawn.com/news/1174303
11. https://tribune.com.pk/story/1150578/heinous-crime-two-trans-women-manhandled-raped/
12. https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/08/22/pakistan-attacks-transgender-women-surge
13. https://tribune.com.pk/story/1448163/video-shows-transwomen-sexually-harassed-manhandled-murree-eid-break/
14. https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-07-29/pakistans-traditional-third-gender-isnt-happy-trans-movement
